Czechs battle over missile shield

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 PRAGUE: Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek faces a battle to win parliamentary approval for a US radar station to be built on Czech soil as part of a missile defence shield planned by Washington. The two houses of parliament in the central European state, which joined Nato and the European Union in 2004, are expected this week to start debating two treaties that would allow the tracking radar to be stationed southwest of Prague. The missile defence shield, which would also include 10 interceptor missiles based in neighbouring Poland, would help detect and shoot down any ballistic missiles fired at Europe and the United States by countries such as Iran. Plans for the shield are backed by the fragile centre-right coalition government, but have alienated many ordinary people who fear they could make... [read full story]